Progress on works at Limerick pool criticised as ‘Wishy washy’ by local users
A PROGRESS report has been issued on construction works at a popular public facility, four months after its initial closure.
Askeaton swimming pool closed its door on March 16 to facilitate boiler room renovation works - resulting in the facility closing down for a period of 12 months, much to the public’s dismay.
Limerick City and County Council has now issued an official statement outlining the progress of the project.
A spokesperson confirmed that tender documents are being prepared for publication shortly.
Askeaton pool committee members have since reacted to the official progress report statement, with one member saying that “the goalposts keep moving. They told us the end of June, now it's mid-August."
The LCCC statement reads: “A scoping exercise for the works required at Askeaton Pool and Leisure Centre has been completed and tender documents are being prepared for publication shortly, to establish the cost of the works with a view to re-opening the facility at the earliest possible time.”
Leona Blackwell, pool committee member, responded to the statement by telling the Limerick Leader that until now, “the Council haven’t interacted” with the committee and that the feedback “hasn’t been great”.
She added: “The tender hasn’t gone out and we don’t have a date or any idea when the pool will be back up and running yet.
Construction hasn’t started because the tender is not out yet.”.
“It takes me almost eight hours of a return trip every Sunday, travelling as far as Ballybunion and doing the swimming lessons with the children and back. It is wishy-washy at present.”
Around the time the facility shut, the local authority outlined that renovating while operating the facility on a ‘limited capacity’ would not be possible, saying: “Despite best efforts and engagement with all key stakeholders, it has not been possible to maintain a limited operation of the centre on a temporary basis until the capital works get underway.
It said the operator, at the time, Coral Leisure, was not in a position to provide the service and that an alternative operator “could not be secured.”
In a statement, issued at the time, the council added: “The Board (of Askeaton Pool and Leisure Centre) and its shareholders are committed to making sure the health and safety of all users are maintained at all times.
“To facilitate this, sufficient time would be required to acquire the services of an appropriate alternative operator through a public procurement process.”